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#5 Utah Gymnastics Heads To Pac-12 Championships To Begin Postseason Play
3/13/2023 2:25 PM | Gymnastics
Red Rocks look to defend the Pac-12 title and win third-straight conference championship.
MEET WEEK
Fifth-ranked Utah Gymnastics begins postseason play at the Pac-12 Championships this Saturday, March 18, at the Maverik Center in West Valley City, Utah. The Red Rocks will compete in the evening session at 6 p.m. MT. The evening session features the four Pac-12 Regular Season Co-Champions in #4 UCLA, #5 Utah, #7 Cal, and #11 Oregon State.
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UCLA will begin on vault and Utah will begin on bars, while Cal begins on floor and Oregon State starts on beam. The meet will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks with Jim Watson and Amanda Borden on the call. Utah's flagship radio ESPN 700 will also broadcast the meet live from the arena. Tickets to the event can be purchased here.
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IN THE RANKINGS
Utah dropped one spot in the national rankings this week to fifth overall at the conclusion of the regular season. The Utes remained the top-ranked beam team in the country for the ninth-straight week, while vault and floor are ranked fifth. Utah's floor team is ranked eighth in the nation.
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Individually, Utah has four gymnastics in the top-20 of the nation on beam led by Maile O'Keefe, who is the top-ranked gymnast in the country with a 9.980 NQS. Kara Eaker is ranked fourth, while Cristal Isa is 16th and Abby Paulson is 20th. Isa is also 18th on bars and O'Keefe is 23rd on bars. Rounding out the Red Rocks in the top-25, Jaedyn Rucker is ranked 15th in the nation on vault this week.
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TOP OF THE PAC
• Utah earned a share of the Pac-12 Regular Season title for the second-straight year and has now won the title outright or at least a share since its inception in 2020.
• Utah has won five Pac-12 Championships, which includes its back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022. No team in Pac-12 history has won three-straight Pac-12 Championships.
• Utah's five Pac-12 Championships are the most by any team in the conference. Utah has claimed the title in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2021, and 2022.
• Utah is the only team in the conference that has finished in the top-3 at every conference championship.
• Utah had three individual Pac-12 champions last year, which was the most by any school. Pac-12 Champions last season for the Red Rocks were Grace McCallum (bars, floor), Abby Paulson (beam) and Alexia Burch (vault).
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BY THE NUMBERS
• Utah finished the 2023 home schedule undefeated, going 5-0 in the Jon M. Huntsman Center. It is the fourth year in a row the Red Rocks have gone undefeated at home and the 10th undefeated home season in the last 11 years.
• Utah's 198.550 against Cal (Feb. 24) is the third-best score in program history and the second highest in the nation this season.
• Utah is the only team in the nation to score a 49.7 or better on beam more than once this season. The Red Rocks have three scores of 49.7 or better on beam in 2023.
• Utah has scored a 49.500 or better on bars five of the last six meets.
• Utah has scored a 49.475 or better on floor six of the last seven meets.
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CHALK TALK
• Utah has had 10 of the 13 gymnasts that have competed this season earn at least one event title.
• Utah has hit 232-240 routines this season. Gymnasts who have hit every routine are Makenna Smith (33-33), Abby Brenner (27-27), Cristal Isa (20-20), Jaylene Gilstrap (19-19), Amelie Morgan (18-18), Kara Eaker (11-11), and Jillian Hoffman (10-10).
• Individual event winners this season are Maile O'Keefe (12), Grace McCallum (8), Jaedyn Rucker (5), Isa (4), Smith (3), Hoffman (2), Eaker (2), Abby Paulson (2), Brenner (1) and Sage Thompson (1)..
• O'Keefe (Feb. 7, Feb. 14), Eaker (Jan. 17), Rucker (Feb. 28), and Isa (March 7) have been named Pac-12 Specialists of the Week this season, while Makenna Smith earned a Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honor on Feb. 14.
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STANDOUT STATS
• Maile O'Keefe has won an event title on every event this season.
• Cristal Isa has scored a 9.90 or better on 12 of her last 13 routines.
• Kara Eaker has not scored below a 9.90 on beam this season, while O'Keefe has scored a 9.90 or better on beam all but one meet.
• Jaylene Gilstrap has scored a 9.90 or better on floor her last five routines.
• Abby Paulson has scored a 9.925 or better on beam on four of her last five routines.
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SCOUTING UCLA
2022 Final Ranking: 12th
2023 Ranking: 4th
Head Coach: Janelle McDonald
Bruin Highlights: UCLA is coming off a senior day 198.275-195.550 win over Iowa State, which propelled it to a No. 4 nationally ranking and the top seed in the Pac-12 … UCLA has reached the 198 mark in consecutive weeks and scored a 197.9 or better the two weeks prior … The Bruins rank first in the nation on floor,fifth on beam, sixth on bars, and ninth on vault … Jordan Chiles is second in the country in the all-around with a 39.810 NQS and is coming off a nation-best 39.900 in the all-around … Chiles ranks first in the nation on bars, third on vault, fourth on floor, and 11th on beam … Selena Harris is fifth in the nation in the all-around as a freshman with a 39.680 NQS as well.
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SCOUTING CALIFORNIA
2022 Final Ranking: 11th
2023 Ranking: 7th
Co-Head Coaches: Justin Howell and Elisabeth Crandall-Howell
Golden Bear Highlights: Cal is coming off a program record 198.275 last week and scored a 49.825 on beam, which is the second highest score in NCAA history … Cal broke its previous school record just a few days before with a 198.100 on Friday before turning around and scoring the 198.275 two days later … Cal is ranked third in the nation on bars, sixth on beam, ninth on floor, and 11th on vault … Andi Li leads the Golden Bears in the all-around with a 39.585 NQS, while Madelyn Williams, Nevaeh Desouza, and eMjae Frazier have also been key contributors in the all-around with a 39.400 NQS or better … Mya Lauzon ranks sixth in the nation on vault, 12th on floor and 16th on beam, while Williams and Li rank sixth and eighth on bars, respectively.
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SCOUTING OREGON STATE
2022 Final Ranking: 17th
2023 Ranking: 11th
Head Coach: Tanya Chaplin
Beaver Highlights: Oregon State defeated Utah, 197.950-197.700, last week to earn a share of the regular season title … The Beavers scored a program-record 198.075 a few weeks ago at Stanford … Oregon State ranks third in the nation on beam, sixth on floor, 15th on vault and 18th on bars … Jade Carey leads the Beavs as the nation's top all-arounder with a 39.820 NQS and is first in the nation on floor, second on vault and beam, and fourth on bars.
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UP NEXT
Utah will await its NCAA Regional destination following the conference championship weekend. The Utes will be sent to the NCAA host site of either UCLA, Denver, Oklahoma or Pittsburgh. The 2023 NCAA Regionals will run Wednesday, March 29, through Sunday, April 2.
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Fifth-ranked Utah Gymnastics begins postseason play at the Pac-12 Championships this Saturday, March 18, at the Maverik Center in West Valley City, Utah. The Red Rocks will compete in the evening session at 6 p.m. MT. The evening session features the four Pac-12 Regular Season Co-Champions in #4 UCLA, #5 Utah, #7 Cal, and #11 Oregon State.
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UCLA will begin on vault and Utah will begin on bars, while Cal begins on floor and Oregon State starts on beam. The meet will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks with Jim Watson and Amanda Borden on the call. Utah's flagship radio ESPN 700 will also broadcast the meet live from the arena. Tickets to the event can be purchased here.
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IN THE RANKINGS
Utah dropped one spot in the national rankings this week to fifth overall at the conclusion of the regular season. The Utes remained the top-ranked beam team in the country for the ninth-straight week, while vault and floor are ranked fifth. Utah's floor team is ranked eighth in the nation.
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Individually, Utah has four gymnastics in the top-20 of the nation on beam led by Maile O'Keefe, who is the top-ranked gymnast in the country with a 9.980 NQS. Kara Eaker is ranked fourth, while Cristal Isa is 16th and Abby Paulson is 20th. Isa is also 18th on bars and O'Keefe is 23rd on bars. Rounding out the Red Rocks in the top-25, Jaedyn Rucker is ranked 15th in the nation on vault this week.
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TOP OF THE PAC
• Utah earned a share of the Pac-12 Regular Season title for the second-straight year and has now won the title outright or at least a share since its inception in 2020.
• Utah has won five Pac-12 Championships, which includes its back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022. No team in Pac-12 history has won three-straight Pac-12 Championships.
• Utah's five Pac-12 Championships are the most by any team in the conference. Utah has claimed the title in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2021, and 2022.
• Utah is the only team in the conference that has finished in the top-3 at every conference championship.
• Utah had three individual Pac-12 champions last year, which was the most by any school. Pac-12 Champions last season for the Red Rocks were Grace McCallum (bars, floor), Abby Paulson (beam) and Alexia Burch (vault).
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BY THE NUMBERS
• Utah finished the 2023 home schedule undefeated, going 5-0 in the Jon M. Huntsman Center. It is the fourth year in a row the Red Rocks have gone undefeated at home and the 10th undefeated home season in the last 11 years.
• Utah's 198.550 against Cal (Feb. 24) is the third-best score in program history and the second highest in the nation this season.
• Utah is the only team in the nation to score a 49.7 or better on beam more than once this season. The Red Rocks have three scores of 49.7 or better on beam in 2023.
• Utah has scored a 49.500 or better on bars five of the last six meets.
• Utah has scored a 49.475 or better on floor six of the last seven meets.
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CHALK TALK
• Utah has had 10 of the 13 gymnasts that have competed this season earn at least one event title.
• Utah has hit 232-240 routines this season. Gymnasts who have hit every routine are Makenna Smith (33-33), Abby Brenner (27-27), Cristal Isa (20-20), Jaylene Gilstrap (19-19), Amelie Morgan (18-18), Kara Eaker (11-11), and Jillian Hoffman (10-10).
• Individual event winners this season are Maile O'Keefe (12), Grace McCallum (8), Jaedyn Rucker (5), Isa (4), Smith (3), Hoffman (2), Eaker (2), Abby Paulson (2), Brenner (1) and Sage Thompson (1)..
• O'Keefe (Feb. 7, Feb. 14), Eaker (Jan. 17), Rucker (Feb. 28), and Isa (March 7) have been named Pac-12 Specialists of the Week this season, while Makenna Smith earned a Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honor on Feb. 14.
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STANDOUT STATS
• Maile O'Keefe has won an event title on every event this season.
• Cristal Isa has scored a 9.90 or better on 12 of her last 13 routines.
• Kara Eaker has not scored below a 9.90 on beam this season, while O'Keefe has scored a 9.90 or better on beam all but one meet.
• Jaylene Gilstrap has scored a 9.90 or better on floor her last five routines.
• Abby Paulson has scored a 9.925 or better on beam on four of her last five routines.
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SCOUTING UCLA
2022 Final Ranking: 12th
2023 Ranking: 4th
Head Coach: Janelle McDonald
Bruin Highlights: UCLA is coming off a senior day 198.275-195.550 win over Iowa State, which propelled it to a No. 4 nationally ranking and the top seed in the Pac-12 … UCLA has reached the 198 mark in consecutive weeks and scored a 197.9 or better the two weeks prior … The Bruins rank first in the nation on floor,fifth on beam, sixth on bars, and ninth on vault … Jordan Chiles is second in the country in the all-around with a 39.810 NQS and is coming off a nation-best 39.900 in the all-around … Chiles ranks first in the nation on bars, third on vault, fourth on floor, and 11th on beam … Selena Harris is fifth in the nation in the all-around as a freshman with a 39.680 NQS as well.
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SCOUTING CALIFORNIA
2022 Final Ranking: 11th
2023 Ranking: 7th
Co-Head Coaches: Justin Howell and Elisabeth Crandall-Howell
Golden Bear Highlights: Cal is coming off a program record 198.275 last week and scored a 49.825 on beam, which is the second highest score in NCAA history … Cal broke its previous school record just a few days before with a 198.100 on Friday before turning around and scoring the 198.275 two days later … Cal is ranked third in the nation on bars, sixth on beam, ninth on floor, and 11th on vault … Andi Li leads the Golden Bears in the all-around with a 39.585 NQS, while Madelyn Williams, Nevaeh Desouza, and eMjae Frazier have also been key contributors in the all-around with a 39.400 NQS or better … Mya Lauzon ranks sixth in the nation on vault, 12th on floor and 16th on beam, while Williams and Li rank sixth and eighth on bars, respectively.
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SCOUTING OREGON STATE
2022 Final Ranking: 17th
2023 Ranking: 11th
Head Coach: Tanya Chaplin
Beaver Highlights: Oregon State defeated Utah, 197.950-197.700, last week to earn a share of the regular season title … The Beavers scored a program-record 198.075 a few weeks ago at Stanford … Oregon State ranks third in the nation on beam, sixth on floor, 15th on vault and 18th on bars … Jade Carey leads the Beavs as the nation's top all-arounder with a 39.820 NQS and is first in the nation on floor, second on vault and beam, and fourth on bars.
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UP NEXT
Utah will await its NCAA Regional destination following the conference championship weekend. The Utes will be sent to the NCAA host site of either UCLA, Denver, Oklahoma or Pittsburgh. The 2023 NCAA Regionals will run Wednesday, March 29, through Sunday, April 2.
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